Circa Paleo not at TRF

[Zardoz]

Well, if you look at the "Octoberfest" page on the TRF site, Wolgemut is listed as the featured musical performance at Wharfside Gazebo. But they, like Circa Paleo, are not listed on the 'musicians' section of the site. Which one is correct? Is it just last year's info? Who knows 

http://www.texrenfest.com/themed-weekends/oktoberfest-october-8th-9th

There seems to be a lot of things 'up in the air' about TRF so far this season...so I'm figuring most of the TRF website is still sort of "under construction", and I would just try to contact any acts one is concerned about directly.

[BobSmith]

I too heard from Jenny and looks like they will be there.  I'm finding fewer and fewer things to go back for though.  I intend to stick it out and see where this road leads though.

[raevyncait]

I heard from Mercy today that Sholo's contract has arrived!

[Lady Rosaline]

Just heard from Adam Crack he said last he heard he was going to be there. 

[Yrose]

Fair would not be the same without walking in the gate and seeing Sholo!

[Lady Rosaline]

Fair would not be the same without walking in the gate and seeing Sholo!

That is so true.

[Zardoz]

Sadly, I'm starting to mentally put TRF into the same file as I do a certain Houston Sci-Fi con I attended for years. As time goes by, I find the overall event itself less and less satisfying, but I keep going- mostly go to see friends and certain things I couldn't see otherwise. 
I know Circa Paleo is doing a concert in Houston during the first couple weeks of faire, so really, I don't have to deal with TRF, the traffic, the parking etc... just to see them. (on the other hand the show is at the Mucky Duck, and the Duck will charge more than a TRF ticket price for the show  )

[Chris B]

Near by Far played near the Dove Meadow Stage as a lane performer during the 2009 season.  They have been playing in the Houston area for a while and are very talented musicians.  The band consists of a violin, harp, and cello.  I really like their music, know two of them and think they are a positive addition to the acts out at fair.

I understand and know that TRF is going through a lot of changes and many of the performers are being negatively impacted by those changes including groups I play with, but I actually find it rather insulting for many performers that so many people have negative remarks about there not being anything out there worth while if one or two acts do not come back.  There is a lot of amazing talent at fair and people work very hard to put on good shows for the patrons.  Texas Brass, Istanpitta, Jim Hancock, Cantiga, Wine and Alchemy, Gypsy Dance Theater, Cast in Bronze, Clan Tinker, Arsenne, The Gypsy Guerilla Band, and many more acts consist of very talented artists and bring a lot to the fair.

I agree that Circa Paleo is an amazing act and have nothing but the highest regard for Jenny's talent, but she is not the only thing going.

[Zardoz]

I agree with Chis' points. But, while this thread started just asking about Circa Paleo, it's really become about people's concerns about the 'changes' real or percieved in the TRF entertainment line-up this year.
While it's plain that I really like Circa Paleo   , and while they would be sorely missed, their presence at faire is not necessarily a 'deal breaker' for me, but I would certainly make my feelings known to managment. There are many acts that I enjoy at TRF, more that I can see in one day. And indeed there are some I don't care about. And sometimes they change for better or worse, or come and go. There's been discussion about Tartanic's line-up, hell, I always joke about them and the Rogues that I never see the same crew twice with those guys! This is the nature of musical acts in general sometimes.

 Like I mentioned, this has become about the 'changes' folks are seeing or hearing about this year. One assumes that TRF would certainly want an act that has been as popular as Circa Paleo back year after year. But if you don't hear for sure that they're coming, one starts to wonder "what's going on". The TRF website is no help right now, it is really confusing to see a band listed as a featured act for a themed weekend, and then not see them on the schedule, or see a picture of a band next to a schedule they're not on.
 

I wish TRF would just put some 'under construction' labels on the website till things get finalized, or better yet; come on the forum here and do some rumor control!

[Terre Albert]

Time for Rumor Control:

We are updating the website as the last contracts was received Friday.  There are only a few changes to the entertainent line-up.  Some of the street acts have been reduced in size and people are taking on new rolls.

Leaving:
Wolgemut
German Brothers

New:
The Steele Sisters -http://www.facebook.com/groups/125937847461092/?id=200348566686686#!/The.Steele.Sisters
Near by Far - http://www.facebook.com/groups/125937847461092/?id=200348566686686#!/nearbyfar

Change keeps things fresh and change has happened every year at TRF.  This year beacuse of the staff changes some fear we are going to blow the place up with change.  I'm new but Jeff Baldwin is still controling the Entertainment and has put together a great show just like he has for the past couple of decades.  My involvment is primarily business, Entertainment is Jeff's.

Sorry for taking time to make the updates to the website. 

[Blue66669]

Just a thought... while changes are going on all over the place, does anyone ever stop and consider that maybe a performer isn't returning because they've found something better? I get the vibe that a lot of people here are just assuming that because someone isn't coming back, it's because they didn't have a choice. While that may be the case in some instances, it's not in ALL instances. Maybe they needed a break, or they found a better gig.

Please understand that our cast is going to be amazing, and our entertainment will be first class to be sure. We wouldn't be here otherwise.

[Laird Fraser of Lovatt]

Come on, WC... you know this is just one giant rumor mill...


Did you hear the one about....

[Merlin the Elder]

Although I have been to TRF, I'm not a regular visitor, but I try to keep up just because I might make the trip down...

That said, I wonder if it's not a mistake for faires to even try to bring the same acts back year after year. I wonder if it's good for the faires or the acts. I have my favourites as much as anyone, but if my home faire was to have all the same people every week, every year, why would I even bother coming back?

By the same token, there are some acts that are at almost every festival in the country, it seems. One act in particular, and I won't identify it, is showing up at almost every faire I want to go to, and I didn't like the act to start with, at least not in the Ren Fest setting. But that's just my take on it, and I'm not the everyman. But there are lots of stages and acts to check out.

I have forced myself to try and visit acts other than my favourites and have been astounded at what I've been missing for years. I heard Circa Paleo for the first time this year at Sherwood and was blown away. Jenny is an extraordinary player, especially considering her young age, and I have some strong comparisons in the folk genre that I have seen play in person (and have partied with)—Dave Swarbrick and Ric Saunders, former and current fiddlers respectively for Fairport Convention.  I would put Jenny in very nearly the same category, and that is a helluva compliment in case you aren't familiar with Swarb and Sanders.

The point is, take the time to branch out and get out of your rut. You might find something you like!

[eldatari]

Time for Rumor Control:

We are updating the website as the last contracts was received Friday.  There are only a few changes to the entertainent line-up.  Some of the street acts have been reduced in size and people are taking on new rolls.

Change keeps things fresh and change has happened every year at TRF.  This year beacuse of the staff changes some fear we are going to blow the place up with change.  I'm new but Jeff Baldwin is still controling the Entertainment and has put together a great show just like he has for the past couple of decades.  My involvment is primarily business, Entertainment is Jeff's.

Sorry for taking time to make the updates to the website. 

Terre,

For those of us who have been attending TRF for many years, we dearly love it and are very weary of change. That being said, I have to thank you for taking the time to listen to our concerns and replying to them.  It is nice to be able to have rumors confirmed or denied first hand.

[Breandan]

In Terre's defense- and those who know me know bloody well how critical I am of the direction TRF is taking, so you know I am no butt-kisser here- a lot of the changes that were made were from George himself. Terre, Jeff and others got handed an unholy mess of chaos and are trying their best to beat order out of it, so I give him credit for trying. I have it on good authority that he has looked to Sherwood for inspiration, which- if true- is a wise move and bodes well for the future.

That being said, I started at TRF 21 years ago, and I have watched it go from a magical place where the dreams of a young man to get away from the pains of the world and live a bit of the fantasy he always dreamed of into a medieval-themed flea market. It was like this long before Terre came along, and has been a gradual degradation born of dozens of reasons rather than a sudden change made by a malign Illuminati cabal in the front office. Yes, it can be argued that the blame for some of the negative changes can be laid directly at George's feet, but that is a side issue for the most part.

In the case of the acts that depart, in some cases they get handed contracts that have changed in ways they do not approve of, in other cases they demand more money or other concessions that TRF can't or won't give them, and in still others they choose not to return for a variety of reasons wholly unrelated to the faire. As an author, I have been invited to several conventions of late, more than I could hope to attend. In a few cases all expenses are paid, but in most cases I get a room for free or discounted rate and that's it. So, like the acts out at faire, doing a convention has costs out of pocket that I have to take into consideration. In some cases I have to pass up the big conventions (ComicCon and GenCon) because the expense isn't worth it, and I will wind up netting more from going to a smaller, closer con than the big ones. Some acts see the same bottom-line with TRF- it may be big, but it might not be the most profitable for them.

I don't like many of the changes of the last decade, but I am buying Opening, AHE and Closing tickets- which is an odd experience after having worked out there for 20 years, lemme tell ya- as a sign of my willingness to give the folks out there a chance. I will withhold judgement until I see for myself, and if it is improved from years past I will be just as liberal with my praise as I will be with my condemnation if it is as bad as many people fear.